The invention relates to a method of removing selected rows of corn out of a corn field which is particularly important for removing male rows of corn in a field of seed corn. The female seed corn rows are left undamaged, as a harvester passes over the top of the seed corn. Seed corn is grown with one or two rows of a male corn which pollinate three to five rows of the female seed corn. Once the pollination occurs, the male corn is unwanted and can cause contamination of the species of corn.
To prevent contamination of new hybrids of seed corn, the male corn rows are often removed or mowed down. Mowing the corn leaves the possibility of future contamination of the breed, due to debris left in the field. Complete removal of the male rows is currently done only by hand cutting. The present invention allows for the quick, complete method of removal of the male rows at a lower cost. The corn can be stored in a bin on the harvester, after being cut and chopped. The cut corn is also an excellent source of silage for livestock.
The male rows of seed corn make up approximately one-fifth of the corn in the field, which can now be saved with this invention. A readily available source of feed would make livestock production more cost effective in corn producing areas.
Recent advances in the science of corn breeding make it more critical to have a purer breed. Male corn from the previous year could produce unwanted hybrids in the seed corn, ruining the benefits of the seed corn operation. As farming becomes more precise and efficient, the need for better and newer harvesting methods arises. This invention is the next increase in the developing precision of the science of seed corn farming.
There are no known inventions that utilize this method of selectively cutting rows of corn. Currently, male seed corn rows are removed by hand cutting. No other method is known.